⁹ Then ^(A)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel, and he sent messengers and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.

¹⁵ abandoning ^(A)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ^(B)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(C)the ^[a]reward of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ^(D)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are ^(E)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ^(F)for whom the ^[b]black darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(G)arrogant words of no ^(H)value they ^(I)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(J)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(K)escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(L)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, after they have ^(M)escaped the defilements of the world by ^(N)the knowledge of the ^(O)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ^(P)entangled in them and are overcome, ^(Q)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ^21 (R)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ^(S)the holy commandment ^(T)handed on to them. ^22 [c]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “^(U)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

¹¹ Woe to them! For they have gone ^(A)the way of Cain, and for pay ^[a]they have given themselves up to ^(B)the error of Balaam, and ^(C)perished in the rebellion of Korah.